Ammonite

 

Saoirse Rohan (Hanna) is a young married woman who has lost a child, Kate Winslet (Titanic) takes her under her wing and they form a romantic bond. The ending was confusing. Sex scenes were graphic. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Mare of Easttown

 

Kate Winslet (Titanic) stars as a detective who is struggling with life and with the job in her small town. On HBO and very good. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Sleeping Dogs Lie

 

Amazon writes, "From the internationally best-selling author of My Lovely Wife and He Started It comes a twisted, entertaining novella about a dog walker swept into a criminal investigation when her client winds up dead. 

Shelby works as a dog walker in northern California, and she’s just finished up her bi-weekly trip to the park with a husky named Pluto. When she brings him back to his house, she finds his owner - Todd Burke, a well-known local businessman and founder of an organic supplements company - lying on the bathroom floor, dead. A detective arrives on the scene. As she interviews Shelby, the body is inspected by a medical examiner, and more cops search Todd’s home, it becomes clear that the victim’s life was less picture-perfect than his clean-cut persona might lead you to believe. ". All in all, I say: LISTEN IT on Audible - it was unpredictable. 

Yes, Chef

 

Amazon writes, "It begins with a simple ritual: Every Saturday afternoon, a boy who loves to cook walks to his grandmother’s house and helps her prepare a roast chicken for dinner. The grandmother is Swedish, a retired domestic. The boy is Ethiopian and adopted, and he will grow up to become the world-renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson. This book is his love letter to food and family in all its manifestations. Yes, Chef chronicles Samuelsson’s journey, from his grandmother’s kitchen to his arrival in New York City, where his outsize talent and ambition finally come together at Aquavit, earning him a New York Times three-star rating at the age of twenty-four. But Samuelsson’s career of chasing flavors had only just begun—in the intervening years, there have been White House state dinners, career crises, reality show triumphs, and, most important, the opening of Red Rooster in Harlem. At Red Rooster, Samuelsson has fulfilled his dream of creating a truly diverse, multiracial dining room—a place where presidents rub elbows with jazz musicians, aspiring artists, and bus drivers. It is a place where an orphan from Ethiopia, raised in Sweden, living in America, can feel at home.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT - unless you like cooking and this chef.

Life from Scratch

 

Amazon writes, "Witty, warm, and poignant, food blogger Sasha Martin's memoir about cooking her way to happiness and self-acceptance is a culinary journey like no other.   Over the course of 195 weeks, food writer and blogger Sasha Martin set out to cook-and eat-a meal from every country in the world. As cooking unlocked the memories of her rough-and-tumble childhood and the loss and heartbreak that came with it, Martin became more determined than ever to find peace and elevate her life through the prism of food and world cultures. From the tiny, makeshift kitchen of her eccentric, creative mother, to a string of foster homes, to the house from which she launched her own cooking adventure, Martin's heartfelt, brutally honest memoir reveals the power of cooking to bond, to empower, and to heal-and celebrates the simple truth that happiness is created from within. "This beautifully written book is both poignant and uplifting. Not to mention delicious. It's an amazing family tale that reminds me of The Glass Castle, but with more food. And not just any food: We're talking cinnamon raisin pizza." -A.J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically "Life From Scratch is an unconventional love story. This beautiful book begins with the quest of cooking a meal from every country-a noble feat of it's own!-but then turns it into something far beyond a kitchen adventure. Be prepared to be changed as you experience Sasha's journey for yourself." -Chris Guillebeau, author of The Happiness Pursuit". All in all, I say: READ IT if you like cooking.

Salem Falls

 

Amazon writes, "Love can redeem a man...but secrets and lies can condemn him.

A handsome stranger comes to the sleepy New England town of Salem Falls in hopes of burying his past: Once a teacher at a girls' prep school, Jack St. Bride was destroyed when a student's crush sparked a powder keg of accusation. Now, washing dishes for Addie Peabody at the Do-Or-Diner, he slips quietly into his new routine, and Addie finds this unassuming man fitting easily inside her heart. But amid the rustic calm of Salem Falls, a quartet of teenage girls harbor dark secrets -- and they maliciously target Jack with a shattering allegation. Now, at the center of a modern-day witch hunt, Jack is forced once again to proclaim his innocence: to a town searching for answers, to a justice system where truth becomes a slippery concept written in shades of gray, and to the woman who has come to love him." All in all, I say: SKIP IT - he might not be guilty of what a former student accused him of, but he is a rapist. 

Perfect Match

 

Amazon writes, "What does it mean to be a good mother? For career-driven assistant district attorney Nina Frost, the question inspires pangs of guilt familiar to all parents torn by the demands of home and office. But whereas most parents lie awake at night vividly conjuring the worst scenarios that could befall their children in their absence, Nina lives the reality of such crises -- and it's her job to do something about them. Nina Frost prosecutes child molesters -- and in the course of her everyday work, she has endured the frustration of seeing too many criminals slip through the system and walk free.

A man as methodical and careful as his wife is instinctive and mercurial, Caleb Frost is a stonemason who glories in his ability to construct with his own hands the physical barriers that will keep out the unwanted -- and protect all that is precious within. But even the strongest walls cannot guard Nina and Caleb from the shattering discovery that their own beloved son has been sexually abused.
Five-year-old Nathaniel is the only one who knows the identity of his assailant -- but in the initial fallout of his trauma, he's been left mute, unable to speak a single word. Knowing the futility of trusting the courts to exact justice for Nathaniel, and ripped apart by a maddening sense of helplessness, Nina finds herself in a grip of rage she can't deny -- no matter the consequence, whatever the sacrifice. What does it take to be a good mother? How far can a person go...and still live with herself? What happens if one's absolute truths and convictions are turned upside down?

Forging new ground in her unique territory of morally complex suspense fiction, bestselling author Jodi Picoult delivers her most soulful and intimate novel to date -- and portrays what happens to a family when a wheel comes off, when the domestic unit begins to careen and veer, when the vestments of ordinary life are forfeited to unspeakable horrors. From its provocative opening to the astonishing and revelatory finale, Perfect Match enters the raw and private realm of a parent's heart, and ultimately questions our assumptions about family, security, and love.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT - the topic isn't something you want to read a lot about - it's also predictable who did it - Priest. 

Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals that Brought Me Home

 

Amazon writes, "At 28, Jessica Fechtor was happily immersed in graduate school and her young marriage, and thinking about starting a family. Then one day, she went for a run and an aneurysm burst in her brain. She nearly died. She lost her sense of smell, the sight in her left eye, and was forced to the sidelines of the life she loved.

Jessica’s journey to recovery began in the kitchen as soon as she was able to stand at the stovetop and stir. There, she drew strength from the restorative power of cooking and baking. Written with intelligence, humor, and warmth, Stir is a heartfelt examination of what it means to nourish and be nourished. 

Woven throughout the narrative are 27 recipes for dishes that comfort and delight. For readers of M.F.K.Fisher, Molly Wizenberg, and Tamar Adler, as well as Oliver Sacks, Jill Bolte Taylor, and Susannah Cahalan, Stir is sure to inspire, and send you straight to the kitchen.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT unless you love cooking and cooking blogs.

Ground Zero

 

Amazon writes, "In time for the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, master storyteller Alan Gratz (Refugee) delivers a pulse-pounding and unforgettable take on history and hope, revenge and fear -- and the stunning links between the past and present.

September 11, 2001, New York City: Brandon is visiting his dad at work, on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center. Out of nowhere, an airplane slams into the tower, creating a fiery nightmare of terror and confusion. And Brandon is in the middle of it all. Can he survive -- and escape?

September 11, 2019, Afghanistan: Reshmina has grown up in the shadow of war, but she dreams of peace and progress. When a battle erupts in her village, Reshmina stumbles upon a wounded American soldier named Taz. Should she help Taz -- and put herself and her family in mortal danger?

Two kids. One devastating day. Nothing will ever be the same.". It was difficult to get through this book. The scenes in NYC on 9-11 were heartbreaking and brought back memories of the event. All in all, I say: READ IT

The House on the Cerulean Sea

 

Amazon writes, "A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place―and realizing that family is yours.". All in all, I say: LISTEN TO IT - it's different with good characters, but a little boring/predictable in some places. 

One of Us is Next

 

Sequel - it wasn't as good as the last one. But if you enjoyed the last one, go ahead. All in all, I say: READ IT Amazon writes, "Come on, Bayview, you know you've missed this.

A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but in the year since the Bayview four were cleared of his shocking death, no one's been able to fill the gossip void quite like he could. The problem is no one has the facts. 

Until now. 

This time it's not an app, though—it's a game. 

Truth or Dare.

Phoebe's the first target. If you choose not to play, it's a truth. And hers is dark. 

Then comes Maeve and she should know better—always choose the dare. 

But by the time Knox is about to be tagged, things have gotten dangerous. The dares have become deadly, and if Maeve learned anything from Bronwyn last year, it's that they can't count on the police for help. Or protection.

Simon's gone, but someone's determined to keep his legacy at Bayview High alive. And this time, there's a whole new set of rules.".

Grunt

 

This was one of her shorter books, and not as interesting as I hoped. All in all, I say: READ IT if you have an interest in the military otherwise skip it. Amazon writes, "Grunt tackles the science behind some of a soldier's most challenging adversaries―panic, exhaustion, heat, noise―and introduces us to the scientists who seek to conquer them. Mary Roach dodges hostile fire with the U.S. Marine Corps Paintball Team as part of a study on hearing loss and survivability in combat. She visits the fashion design studio of U.S. Army Natick Labs and learns why a zipper is a problem for a sniper. She visits a repurposed movie studio where amputee actors help prepare Marine Corps medics for the shock and gore of combat wounds. At Camp Lemmonier, Djibouti, in east Africa, we learn how diarrhea can be a threat to national security. Roach samples caffeinated meat, sniffs an archival sample of a World War II stink bomb, and stays up all night with the crew tending the missiles on the nuclear submarine USS Tennessee. She answers questions not found in any other book on the military: Why is DARPA interested in ducks? How is a wedding gown like a bomb suit? Why are shrimp more dangerous to sailors than sharks? Take a tour of duty with Roach, and you’ll never see our nation’s defenders in the same way again.".

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

 

Amazon writes, "Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.". All in all, I say: READ IT - it goes back and forth between a case file, website, and real life - I loved it. 

Dangerous Alliance

 

Amazon writes, "Lady Victoria Aston has everything she could want: an older sister happily wed, the future of her family estate secure, and ample opportunity to while her time away in the fields around her home.

But now Vicky must marry—or find herself and her family destitute. Armed only with the wisdom she has gained from her beloved novels by Jane Austen, she enters society’s treacherous season.

Sadly, Miss Austen has little to say about Vicky’s exact circumstances: whether the roguish Mr. Carmichael is indeed a scoundrel, if her former best friend, Tom Sherborne, is out for her dowry or for her heart, or even how to fend off the attentions of the foppish Mr. Silby, he of the unfortunate fashion sensibility.

Most unfortunately of all, Vicky’s books are silent on the topic of the mysterious accidents cropping up around her…ones that could prevent her from surviving until her wedding day.". It's a fun romance inspired by Austin and others. 

One of Us is Lying

 

Amazon writes, "Pay close attention and you might solve this.

On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
    Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
    Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
    Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
    Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
    And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.
 
Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

". All in all, I say: READ IT - I wasn't able to guess who did it.

Night Swim

 

Amazon writes, "Ever since her true-crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall has become a household name―and the last hope for people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.

The new season of Rachel's podcast has brought her to a small town being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. A local golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season 3 a success, Rachel throws herself into her investigation―but the mysterious letters keep coming. Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insist she was murdered―and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody in town wants to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases―and a revelation that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.

Electrifying and propulsive, The Night Swim asks: What is the price of a reputation? Can a small town ever right the wrongs of its past? And what really happened to Jenny?". All in all, I say: READ IT - I enjoyed it and the interesting way the story and the podcast go back & forth. 

The Gambler

 

Amazon writes, "The Gambler is a short novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky about a young tutor in the employment of a formerly wealthy Russian general. The novella reflects Dostoyevsky's own addiction to roulette, which was in more ways than one the inspiration for the book: Dostoyevsky completed the novella under a strict deadline to pay off gambling debts. The Gambler treated a subject Fyodor Dostoevsky himself was familiar with—gambling. 

Fyodor Dostoevsky gambled for the first time at the gaming tables at Wiesbaden in 1863. From that time till 1871, when his passion for gambling subsided, he played at Baden-Baden, Homburg, and Saxon-les-Bains frequently, often beginning by winning a small amount of money and losing far more in the end. He wrote to his brother Mikhail on 8 September: “And I believed in my system ... within a quarter of an hour I won 600 francs. This whetted my appetite. Suddenly I started to lose, couldn't control myself and lost everything. After that I ... took my last money, and went to play ... I was carried away by this unusual good fortune and I risked all 35 napoleons and lost them all. I had 6 napoleons d'or left to pay the landlady and for the journey. In Geneva I pawned my watch. ” Fyodor Dostoevsky then agreed to a hazardous contract with F. T. Stellovsky that if he did not deliver a novel of 12 or more signatures by 1 November 1866, Stellovsky would acquire the right to publish Dostoevsky's works for nine years without any compensation to the writer.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT - I was bored and didn't want to finish.

Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist

 

Amazon writes, "Press play on happily ever after in this charming, heartfelt holiday rom-com.

Nick Winters and Noel Carter have known each other their whole lives. After years of shared family holidays, working together on the Winters’ Christmas tree farm, and being each other's safe haven, they wouldn't dream of crossing the line from friends to something more....

But when Nick comes home for the holidays after serving overseas and finds that his long-term girlfriend has decided to get her stocking stuffed elsewhere, Noel is there to pick him up and show him that instead of a Blue Christmas he can still have a Wonderful Christmastime without his cheating ex. 

A night on the town and an impulsive kiss later has Noel thinking that perhaps this year they’ll be rockin’ around the Christmas tree as a couple, but only if the ghost - er rather - girlfriend of Nick's Christmas past doesn’t decide to haunt their holiday....  ". All in all, I say: LISTEN TO IT on Audible. It's cute - romantic - predictable. 

Packing For Mars

 

Amazon writes, "Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human. How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can’t walk for a year? have sex? smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a space walk? Is it possible for the human body to survive a bailout at 17,000 miles per hour? To answer these questions, space agencies set up all manner of quizzical and startlingly bizarre space simulations. As Mary Roach discovers, it’s possible to preview space without ever leaving Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Roach takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth.". All in all,  I say: READ IT if you like space and don't know much about it. Otherwise - SKIP IT - some funny stories, but a lot of gross stuff.

Pregnant Butch: Nine Months Spent in Drag

 

Amazon writes, "eek identifies as a masculine woman in a world bent on associating pregnancy with a cult of uber-femininity. Teek wonders, “Can butches even get pregnant?”

Of course, as she and her pragmatic femme girlfriend Vee discover, they can. But what happens when they do? Written and illustrated by A.K. Summers, and based on her own pregnancy, Pregnant Butch strives to depict this increasingly common, but still underrepresented experience of queer pregnancy with humor and complexity—from the question of whether suspenders count as legitimate maternity wear to the strains created by different views of pregnancy within a couple and finally to a culturally critical and compassionate interrogation of gender in pregnancy.

Offering smart, ambitious art, this graphic memoir is a must-read for would-be pregnant butches and anyone interested in the intersection of birth and gender, as well as a perfect queer baby shower gift and conversation starter for those who always assumed they “got” being pregnant.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT - it's more for butch lesbians who will get pregnant. 

The Principles of Uncertainty

 

Amazon writes, "An irresistible invitation to experience life through a beloved artist's psyche, The Principles of Uncertainty is a compilation of Maira Kalman's New York Times columns. Part personal narrative, part documentary, part travelogue, part chapbook, and all Kalman, these brilliant, whimsical paintings, ideas, and images - which initially appear random - ultimately form an intricately interconnected worldview, an idiosyncratic inner monologue.". All in all, I say: READ IT if you are an art lover.

Goodnight Beautiful

 

Amazon writes, "Newlyweds Sam Statler and Annie Potter are head over heels, and excited to say good-bye to New York City and start a life together in Sam's sleepy hometown upstate. Or, it turns out, a life where Annie spends most of her time alone while Sam, her therapist husband, works long hours in his downstairs office, tending to the egos of his (mostly female) clientele. Little does Sam know that through a vent in his ceiling, every word of his sessions can be heard from the room upstairs. The pharmacist's wife, contemplating a divorce. The well-known painter whose boyfriend doesn’t satisfy her in bed. Who could resist listening? Everything is fine until the French girl in the green mini Cooper shows up, and Sam decides to go to work and not come home, throwing a wrench into Sam and Annie's happily ever after. 

Showcasing Molloy’s deft ability to subvert norms and culminating in the kind of stunning twist that is becoming her trademark, Goodnight Beautiful is a thrilling tale of domestic suspense that not only questions assumptions but defies expectations.". All in all, I say: READ IT - there is a twist I didn't catch.

Honey Girl

 

Amazon writes, "With her newly completed PhD in astronomy in hand, twenty-eight-year-old Grace Porter goes on a girls’ trip to Vegas to celebrate. She’s a straight A, work-through-the-summer certified high achiever. She is not the kind of person who goes to Vegas and gets drunkenly married to a woman whose name she doesn’t know…until she does exactly that.

This one moment of departure from her stern ex-military father’s plans for her life has Grace wondering why she doesn’t feel more fulfilled from completing her degree. Staggering under the weight of her parent’s expectations, a struggling job market and feelings of burnout, Grace flees her home in Portland for a summer in New York with the wife she barely knows.

In New York, she’s able to ignore all the constant questions about her future plans and falls hard for her creative and beautiful wife, Yuki Yamamoto. But when reality comes crashing in, Grace must face what she’s been running from all along—the fears that make us human, the family scars that need to heal and the longing for connection, especially when navigating the messiness of adulthood.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT I was kind of bored - it felt like a dozens of other movies and books I've read - it was also a little whiney.

Winter Counts

 

Amazon writes, "Virgil Wounded Horse is the local enforcer on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota.  When justice is denied by the American legal system or the tribal council, Virgil is hired to deliver his own punishment, the kind that’s hard to forget. But when heroin makes its way into the reservation and finds Virgil’s nephew, his vigilantism suddenly becomes personal. He enlists the help of his ex-girlfriend and sets out to learn where the drugs are coming from, and how to make them stop.

They follow a lead to Denver and find that drug cartels are rapidly expanding and forming new and terrifying alliances. And back on the reservation, a new tribal council initiative raises uncomfortable questions about money and power. As Virgil starts to link the pieces together, he must face his own demons and reclaim his Native identity. He realizes that being a Native American in the twenty-first century comes at an incredible cost.

Winter Counts is a tour-de-force of crime fiction, a bracingly honest look at a long-ignored part of American life, and a twisting, turning story that’s as deeply rendered as it is thrilling.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT - predictable and depressing.

Ceilo Blue

 

In Loganville, the rice is made with oil and not butter, and it is amazing. The food was a decent price and well made. All in all, I say: TRY IT

Dim Sum Heaven

 

On Buford Hwy this is a new place I haven't tried. Marvel was filming something nearby so the place was filled with film crew people. They have large tables, decent prices, and only made one mistake in our order. The chicken fried rice was the best - amazing. All in all, I say: TRY IT

Hob Nob

 

Not a ton of non-dairy options, but I love how even when sitting indoors you are getting outdoor vibe with the use of garage doors. I ate at the one in Doraville. All in all, I say: TRY IT - there is a lot of new stuff in that part of town. 

First Watch

 

Used Door Dash to try this for breakfast one weekend and OMG. The food is amazing - it's more expensive than Waffle House or IHOP, but the flavor was amazing. All in all, I say: TRY IT

The Year the Earth Changed

 

A look at certain species in countries all over the world and how they have changed during quarantine. The entire movie made me cry - constantly. We have done so much damage and as soon as the Pandemic passes we will go back to destroying the planet and all the other species that live on it. It's on Apple TV. All in all, I say: SEE IT - look at what we "humans" have done.

Rebel

 

Katey Sagal (SOA) stars as an "Erin Brockavich" tying to right wrongs. Her children have grown and are also in this comedy, drama show on ABC. Andy Garcia (The Lost City) also stars. I've only seen 2 episodes, but I really like it especially this day in age. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Home Economics

 

On Paramount - this is a half hour comedy about siblings. It's what you would expect - strange family dynamics. Topher Grace (That 70s Show) stars. All in all, I say: SEE IT if you need a light hearted comedy.

Spontaneous

 

Slightly - horror - film based on a book on Amazon. A senior class at a small town high school is suffering from an odd virus. This medical condition causes kids to spontaneously combust. It's so strange - but it feels sort of like a metaphor for a school shooting. It was well acted. All in all, I say: SEE IT

The Informer

 

Joel Kinnaman (For All Mankind) stars as an ex-convict being kind of forced into infiltrating a group to bring them down for law enforcement. Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) is his contact. The plot is weak and all over the place. The government - corrupt officials - set him up to take the fall. A lot of people die. I was bored. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

One Night in Miami...

 

Regina King (Watchmen) directs this movie based on a play. The poster states it all - some iconic and influential African-Americans debate, talk, and bond one night in Miami after a boxing match. All in all, I say: SEE IT

The Nevers

 

A new Joss Whedon (Buffy) series with strong women on HBO. It's uses steampunk and the Victorian Era to tell a story of a group of outcasts trying to find their place in "normal" society. I love the writing, the wardrobe, the action, and the plot. All in all, I say: SEE IT

It's Kind of a Funny Story

 

This movie on Amazon is based on a book which is based on the true story of a young high school boy dealing with depression. Zach Galifianakis (Hangover) and Emma Roberts (Nancy Drew) also star. It's not perfect, but it's sweet. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Monster Hunter

 

Milla Jovovich (Fifth Element) leads a squad in Afghanistan when they get sucked into a parallel universe where there are giant monsters. There are some cool action scenes, but the rest is just gross creatures and a science fiction multiple universe plot. All in all, I say: SKIP IT on Amazon

Freaky

 

Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies) is a high-schoolers that switches bodies with a serial played by Vince Vaughn (Couples Retreat) on Friday the 13th. It's a comedy-horror. It's a fun take on Freaky Friday. All in all, I say: SEE IT on Amazon. 

Country Comfort

 

Katherine McPhee (Smash) has just broken up with her boyfriend/band and finds herself being a nanny for a large family on a horse farm in Tennessee. Eddie Cibrian (The Cave) stars as the widower that needs the nanny. Of course his wife, makes an appearance. There is a lot of cheesy comedy and singing. All in all, I say: SKIP IT unless you need a light comedy to distract yourself. 

Thunder Force

 

Melissa McCarthy (Spy) and Octavia Spencer () star as superheroes who battle all the evil powerful forces on Earth. Turns out instead of aliens creating superheroes they created super psychopaths. All in all, I say: SKIP IT - I didn't like the plot and in several scenes it goes from funny to just gross.

Titans

 

A series now on HBO features the second string / side kicks in the DC universe like Robin. I like that Hank Hall is in this. Season 1 they are all struggling to figure out the acting and superhero stuff. The second season everything is getting a little old, so I haven't finished. If you like DC though SEE IT. Otherwise....All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The New Mutants

 

In the movie Logan we see a hospital where scientist are studying and torturing young kids who are mutants. Some of the kids who are a little too uncontrollable are sent to a different institution. This movie focuses on those group of kids. Maisie Williams (GoT) stars. Alice Braga (Queen of the South) stars as the doctor in charge. It's a horror film because of the mutant power of the new girl. All in all, I say: SKIP IT unless you like the x-men stuff and horror.

The Irregulars

 

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are recorded in many stories and films to use the poor, unwashed, unnoticed to gather info to solve their crimes. The irregulars are a group of such kids that are called upon to solve mysteries of a supernatural twist. It's going to be an on-going series because it ends with a cliff hanger. It's okay - a little too much personal drama. All in all, I say: SEE IT on Netflix.

Tries of Europa

 

IMDb writes, "2074. In the wake of a mysterious global disaster, war rages between the Tribes that have emerged from the wreckage of Europe. Three siblings from the peaceful Origine tribe are separated and forced to forge their own paths.". It was interesting and different. This series is on Netflix, and it didn't end. I'm guessing it will continue in the future. It's in German. I don't think I will watch anymore - it's a bit predictable. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Made for Love

 

Cristin Milioti (Palm Springs) has married the wrong man - a tech guru who has put a chip in her head. It's funny and well acted. Ray Romano (The Big Sick) also stars as her father. It's different and unusual, but not in a trying too hard kind of way. All in all, I say: SEE IT on HBO

Two Weeks to Live

 

Maisie Williams (GoT) stars in this HBO series about a young girl who has been living in the woods with her survivalist's mother most of her life. She gets away in order to get revenge on the man who killed her father. She uncovers a lot of secrets and learns a lot about the modern world. She even meets a potential love interest. It's funny and well done in my opinion. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Secrets of Sulphur Springs

 

On Disney + a young kids finds a bomb shelter in the new supposedly haunted Inn his father bought. A new friend explores with him and together they find a time machine that will help them solve a decade long mystery. It's good for kids. It's well acted. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Dark River

 

Ruth Wilson (Luther) is a capable, independent woman able to run a sheep farm which she decides to do when she hears her father has died. Despite the trauma she suffered there - rape by her father - she attempts to make things right with her brother and the farm. All hell breaks lose though. All in all, I say: SKIP IT 

Lupin

 

On Netflix, this is kind of an Ocean's Eleven or Count of Monty Cristo kind of thing. a young man trains using a series of novels based on a master thief. He wants to get revenge on the people that framed his immigrant father. It's does not have a resolution - it appears it's going to be an on-going soap opera. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Like a Boss

 

This had potential to be funny, but it's no. Tiffany Haddish (Night School) and Rose Byrne (Spy) star in this movie on Amazon. It was filmed in Atlanta, but that's as interesting as it gets. The 2 have created a business that needs an investor and they picked the wrong one played by Salma Hayek (Frida). All in all, I say: SKIP IT